Motor vehicle



"Dec. 22, 1942. v J. TJAARDA 2,305,936

MOTOR VEHICLE Filed March 23, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheetl INVENTOR MJ HZFTRA/E 1 3.,

transmission.

Patented Dec. 22, 1942 MOTOR VEHICLE John Tjaarda, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Briggs Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich a corporation of Michigan Application March 23, 1940, Serial No. 325,567

9 Claims. (Cl. 180-54) This invention relates to motor vehicles and more particularly to motor vehicles in which the power plant and the driving wheels are mounted at the rear of the vehicle.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a motor vehicle having an engine and the driving wheels mounted at the rear of the vehicle, and improved means transmitting the motive power in the form of torque from the engine to the driving wheels.

Another object of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle having driving wheels mounted at the rear of the vehicle and improved means transmitting the vehicle propelling force from the driving wheels to the vehicle structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved motor vehicle having the engine and the driving wheels mounted at the rear of the vehicle, said wheels being provided with improved means whereby they are free to move vertically in response to road irregularities, such movements not interfering with the transmission of power from the engine to the driving wheels and transmission of the vehicle propelling force from the driving Wheels to the vehicle frame.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle having an engine assembly including a transmission and a clutch, mounted transversely of the vehicle in close proximity to the driving wheels, and a final drive means arranged between the engine and the A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved motor vehicle in which the weight of the unsprung structure is considerably reduced.

It is an added object of the present invention to provide an improved motor vehicle of the foregoing character, which is relatively simple in construction, and inexpensive to manufacture and service.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims,

v reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig; l is a side view of a motor vehicle embodying the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rear portion of the motor vehicle illustrated in Fig. 1, said view showing the suspension of the power plant assembly and of the driving wheels.

Fig. 3 is an end view partly in section taken in the direction of the arrows on the vertical secing through the line H of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows on the section plane passing through the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction .and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

In the drawings there is shown, by way of example, a motor vehicle embodying the present invention. The present application describes the invention as embodied in a motor vehicle of the passenger type provided with an internal combustion engine. It will be understood, however,

that the present invention is equally applicable to motor vehicles of other than passenger types, such for instance as to trucks, and also to vehicles using engines or motors other than of the internal combustion engine type.

The motor vehicle illustrated in Fig. 1 and indicated therein by the numeral ill has a frame comprising side members ll bent upwardly near their rear ends as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l and having a plurality of cross members, only two of said members indicated by the numerals Ii and I! being shown in the drawings, since the remaining cross members do not enter as a factor of importance into the present invention. Thus, the rear portions of the side frame members H and the cross members l2 and i3 from a substantially rectangular frame in which the power plant assembly is operatlvely suspended.

Inthe present embodiment the power plant assembly includes an engine It having a casing Illa, preferably integral with a casing Hid of a transmission l5, which casing is in turn integral with the casing lie of the clutch device l6. By virtue of such a construction a rigid structure is formed which may be suspended or mounted on the frame as a single unit or assembly. The mounting connections are exemplified by two connectors ll including brackets Ila secured to the engine, and cross head brackets lib secured S to the driving wheels N.

preferably by riveting to the frame cross member l3. Bolts Ilc connect the brackets Ho and ilb, a resilient bushing (not shown) being provided around the bolt in order to break the metal path from the engine to the frame member l3 thus 5 dampening vibrations caused by the operation of the engine.

The engine l4 includes a crankshaft so having a flywheel 2| secured to one of its ends. To the flywheel 2| there is connected by means of bolts in order to provide a resilient connection therebe= tween and to dampen vibrations which may occur in the flywheel during the operation oi. the engine.

The straight shaft 24 extends coaxially of the crankshaft throughout the entire length of the 20 transmission casing ifia and clutch casing lid, and it carries at its opposite end a fan pulley 26. Adiacent said pulley the straight shaft 24 is externally splined as indicated at 24a in order to engage an internally splined hub 21 of the clutch 25 i8 which is Journaled in a thrust roller bearing 28 arranged in the plane 28 fitted into the clutch casing lea. To the hub 21 there is secured by means of bolts or in any other suitable manner an annular member}! adapted to engage or to 30 disengage a second clutch member if moved toward said first member with the aid of a plurality of springs 32 and away from said member with the aid of a throw out finger 33-. Frictional disks are arranged between said clutch members It and 32 in a manner well known in the art inorder to effect-frictional engagement of said members. The second clutch member 3! is internally splined and slides onan externally splined end of a clutch shaft sleeve 34 iournaled in a roller bearing 35 arranged in a partition integral with the casings Iia and 15a. The clutch shaft sleeve 34 extends over the straight shaft 24 and rotates independently therefrom to engage and to disengage a plurality of transmission gears which are internally splined and slider on an externally splined transmission shaft sleeve 31. The transmission shait'sleeve 3! is journaled in the bearings 38 and 39 arranged in partitions 40 and 4! respectively, integral with the trans- 5o mission casing lie. The transmission gears are positively connected for rotation with the transmission shaft sleeve 31 and operate thereon in a manner known in the art and no detailed descrip- Each of said half axles 48 is provided with a tubular housing 5| which is connected to the final drive housing 46 by means of a universal joint 52 preferably of the ball and socket type. The outer ends of the tubular housings 5| are connected in a manner well known in the art to the wheel supporting hubs 53 for transmission of operative and particularly vertical loads thereto. The universal joints 5!! and 52 of each respective pair of joints have a common geometric center and therefore the half axles 48 and their tubular housings 5| remain concentric in all positions of the driving wheels 41. To said hubs 53 there are secured the front ends of radius rods 54 the rear ends of which are universally'connected to a bracket 55 secured to the cross member 12. To said bracket 55. there is also secured in any suitable manner the rear end of a torque tube 56 the front end of which is secured to the final drive housing 48. In some cases it may be desirable to permit slight longitudinal movement 0! the torque tube 58 in the collar of the bracket 5!. In such'cases some non-metallic means'may be provided in said collar to prevent squeaking. By virtue of the provision of the torque tube 56. the torque reaction is transmitted to the frame of the vehicle and the third point of power plant suspension is also provided. Unreslsted by any means the driving wheels 41 would be free to move vertically in response to road irregularities, their vertical path beins determined by the respective lengths of the tubular housings if and radius rods 54. It will be understood that such vertical movements of the driving wheels do not in any way interfere with the transmission of driving torque from the power plant to the driving wheels, since both the half axles '48 and their tubular housings Iii are universally connected to the power plant assembly.

Means resiliently resisting the vertical movements of the driving wheels are exemplified in the present embodiment by a cross spring is of the leaf type, said spring having a middle portion mounted on the final drive housing 46 by means of a connection generally indicated by the numeral II. The ends of the spring in are connected by means of shackles 82 to the forward ends of the radius rods 54 or to the wheel supporting hubs 83 in order to transmit the load of the sprung portion of the vehicle to said wheels.

It will now be seen in view of .the foregoin that the driving torque developed by the crank shaft of the engine is transmitted to the drivins wheels 41 by means of the half axles 48, while of the operation of the tmnsmissmn is 55 the torque reaction produced by the rotative efdeemed necessary.

On the transmission shait sleeve 31 andwithin the chamber formed by the partitions 4e and. there is formed a final drive pinion 44 meshing with a. final drive gear ib connected to a suitable diflerential device (not shown) and opera-' tively mounted in the housing 56. Power in the form of torque is transmitted to. the driving 8 wheels 8! by means of two half sales 45 secured wheels, the inner ends of said hali axles bing' connected to the outwardly protruding ends Q9v of the differential device which connection is effected by means of a pair of universal Joints generally indicated by the numeral es. By virtue m of such a construction power is transmitted from the crankshaft 2t to the straight shaft it, through the clutch it to the sleeves 35 and 31,. and thereupon through the final drive half axles fort of the engine is transmitted to the frame of the vehicle by means of the torque tube It and mounting connectors IT. The vehicle pro: Y pelling force or the draw bar pull developed by the drive wheels is transmitted to the frame of the vehicle by means of the radius rods 54. The j weight of the sprung portion of the vehicle, which portion includes the frame and the power plant y assembly, is transmitted to the driving wheels of to said wheels by their outer ends to rotate said vehicle through. the cross spring v shackles 62 to the wheel supporting hubs- I3. I

Iclaim:

together, said engine assembly being mounted I on said frame and connected thereto at three points, a pair of driving Wheels drivingly connected to said final drive and carried by said engine 15 assembly being freeto move vertically, a cross spring secured to said engine assembly and adapted to resist resiliently the upward movements of said wheels, and a pair of rods, said rods extending rearwardiy ofsaid wheels and each having one end secured to a respective wheel structure and another end hingedly secured to said frame to transmit thereto the vehicle propelling force.

2. In a motor vehicle having a frame, an engine assembly including an engine, a clutch and a transmission, said engine assembly being mounted on said frame at the rear of said vehicle and transversely thereof at two points; a pair of wheels drivingly connected to said transmission and adapted to move vertically in response to road irregularities; a transverse leaf spring carried by said engine assembly and having ends connected respectively to said wheels for resisting yieldingly upward movements thereof; a torque tube having one end secured to said en-' gins assembly and another end connected to'said frame to provide a third point of suspension for said engine assembly and to transmit torque reaction to said frame; and a pair of radius rods each having one end rigidly secured to the structure of the respective wheel to permit rotation thereof but to follow its bodily movements; and a ball and socket means for securing the other end of each rod to said frame.

3. In a motor vehicle having a frame, a power plant assembly including an engine, a clutch, a transmission, and final drive means arranged in said assembly substantially at the center line of the vehicle; two mounting connections arrangedin front of said power plant assembly for connecting the same to said frame, a pair of driving wheels arranged at the rear of the vehicle and having supporting hubs, a pair of half axles drivingly connected to said wheels, a pair of universal Joints connecting the inner ends of said half axles with said final drive means, a tubular housing for each of said half axles having its outer end operatively connected to a wheel supporting hub, a second pair of universal connections for connecting the inner ends or said tubular housings to said power plant assembly, and a pair of radius rods arranged rearwardly oi said power plant assembly and having their ends operatively connected to said wheel supporting hubs and to said frame, respectively.

4. In a motor vehicle having a frame, a power plant assembly including ,an engine, a clutch, a transmission, and final drive means arranged in said assembly substantially at the center line of the vehicle; two mounting connections arranged in front of said power plant assembly for connecting the same to said frame, a pair of driving wheels arranged at the rear of the vehicle and having supporting hubs, a pair of half axles arranged rearwardly of. said engine and drivingly connected to said wheels, 9. pair of univerplant assembly including an engine, a clutch, a transmission, and final drive means arranged in said assembly substantially at the center line of the vehicle; two mounting connections arranged in front of said power plant assembly for connecting the same to said frame, a pair of driving wheels arranged at the rear of the vehicle and having supporting hubs, a pair of half axles drivingly connected to said wheels, a pair of universal joints connecting the inner ends of said half axles with said final drive means, a tubular housing for each of said half axles having its outer end operatively connected to a wheel supporting hub for transmission of vertical loads thereto, a second pair of universal connections for connecting the inner ends of said tubular housings to said power plant assembly, a pair of radius rods having their respective ends operatively connected to said wheel supporting hubs and to said frame for transmitting the vehicle propelling force from said wheels to said frame, and spring means operatively interposed between said wheel supporting hubs and the power plant assembly for resilient transmission of vertical loads from said wheels to said frame through the structure of said power plant assembly.

6. In a motor vehicle having a frame, a power plant assembly including an engine, a clutch, a transmission, and final drive means arranged in said assembly substantially at the center line of the vehicle; two mounting connections arranged in front of said power plant assembly for connect ing the same to said frame, a pair of driving wheels arranged at the rear of the vehicle and having supporting hubs, a pair of half axles drivingly connected to said wheels, a pair of universal joints connecting the inner ends of said half axles with said final drive means, a tubular housing for each of said half axles having its outer and connected to a wheel supporting hub for transmission of vertical loads thereto, a second pair of universal connections for connecting the inner ends of said tubular housings to said power plant assembly, a pair of radius rods having their respective ends operatively connected to said wheel supporting hubs and to said frame for transmitting the vesal joints connecting the inner ends of saidhali' axles with said final drive means, a tubular hous ing for each oi said half axles having its outer end operatively connected to a wheel supporting 1 hub, a second pair of universal connections for 1 connecting the inner ends of said tubular housassembly and said frame.

5. In a motor velncle having a frame, a power hicle propelling force from said wheels to said frame, and spring means operatively interposed between said wheel supporting hubs and the power plant assembly for transmission of the entire vertical load from each wheel to said power plant assembly.

7. In a motor vehicle having a frame, a power plant assembly including an engine, a clutch, a transmission, and final drive means arranged in said assembly substantially at the center line of the vehicle; two mounting connections arranged in front of said power plant assembly for connecting the same to said frame, a pair of driving wheels arranged at the rear of the vehicleand having supporting hubs, a pair of half axles drivingly connected to said wheels, 2. pair of universal joints connecting the inner ends of said half axles with said final drive means, a tubular housing for each of said half axles having its outer end con nected to a wheel supporting hub, a second pair of universal connections for connecting the inner ends of said tubular housings to said power plant assembly, a torque tube having its ends secured respectively to said power plant assembly and said frame, a pair of radius rods having their front ends secured to said wheel supporting hubs, and a pair of universal connections for connecting the rear ends of said rods to said frame.

- 8. In a motor vehicle having a' frame, a power plant assembly including an engine, a clutch, a transmission, and final drive means arranged in said assembly substantially at the center line oi the vehicle; two mounting connections arranged in front of said power plant assembly for connecting the same to said frame, a pair of driving wheels arranged at the rear of the vehicle and having supporting hubs, a pair of half axles drivingly connected to said wheels, a pair of universal joints connecting the inner ends of said half axles with said final drive means, a tubular housing for each of said half axles having its outer end connected to a wheel supporting hub, asecond pair oi universal connections for connecting the inner ends of said tubular housings to said power plant assembly, a torque tube having its ends secured respectively to said power plant assembly and said frame, a pair of radius rods having their front ends secured to said wheel supporting hubs, a pair of universal connections for connecting the rear ends of said rods to said frame, a cross leaf spring having a middle portion adapted to receive the weight of the sprung structure of the vehicle and ends operatively connected to the wheel supportins hubs.

9. In a motor vehicle having a frame, a power plant assembly including an engine, a clutch, a

transmission, and final drive means arranged in said assembly substantially at the center line of the vehicle; two mounting connections arranged in front of said power plant assembly for connecting the same to said frame, a pair of driving wheels arranged at the rear of the vehicle and having supporting hubs, a pair of half axles drivingly connected to said wheels, a pair of universal Joints connecting the inner ends of said half axles with said final drive means, a tubular housing for each of said half axles having its outer end connected to a wheel supporting hub, a second pair of universal connections for securing the inner ends of said tubular housings to said power plant assembly, a torque tube having its ends secured respectively to said power plant assembly and said frame, a pair of radius rods having their front ends secured to said wheel supporting hubs, a pair of universal connections for connecting the rear ends of said rods to said frame, a cross leaf spring having a middle portion adapted to receive the weight of the sprung structure of the vehicle, and a pair of shackles connecting the ends of said spring to said wheel supporting hub for transmitting thereto the weight of the sprung structure of the vehicle.

JOHN TJAARDA. 

